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Michael Jordan has signed the sneakers for sale, with one from 1993 carrying the words “‘OUR’ LAST F—-ing Game” in addition to his signature.
The six pairs of shoes that make up the rare Michael Jordan “Dynasty Collection” are hitting the market and could sell for up to $100 million.
CBS News reports that Sotheby’s will auction off the priceless collection of individual sneakers worn by the NBA icon — Air Jordan VI (1991), Air Jordan VII (1992), Air Jordan VIII (1993), Air Jordan XI (1996), Air Jordan XII (1997) and Air Jordan XIV (1998) — which will be on display in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through Friday, March 3.
“The Dynasty Collection is the sole-defining ‘holy grail’ of sneaker collecting,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of Streetwear & Modern Collectables, CBS reported. “They check all of the boxes that a collector wants: championship history, Hall of Fame association, and style.”
Jordan is regarded as one of the greatest athletes, having won two Olympic gold medals and six NBA championships, among other accolades.
He collaborated with Nike to create the “Jordan Brand,” a profitable sportswear asset. It was one of the first major collaborations between an athlete and shoe manufacturer and helped Jordan become the first NBA player to reach billionaire status.
Jordan sported his first pair of the sneakers during his opening season with the Chicago Bulls in 1984, and the Air Jordan I was accessible to the general public the following year.
The collaboration generated subsequent partnerships between athletes and sportswear brands.
Jordan has signed the sneakers for sale, with one from 1993 carrying the words “‘OUR’ LAST F—-ing Game” in addition to his signature.
Tim Hallam, the Chicago Bulls’ communications director, collected the high-top Nikes worn out from hardwood use. In the Hall of Famer’s championship games, Hallam got the specific shoes directly from Jordan after the final buzzer, but he didn’t answer when asked if he paid for them, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Hallam, who no longer owns the shoes but is still employed by the Bulls organization, declined to comment on their sale other than to say he’s “happy that the shoes are being seen by so many people.”
The sneaker from 1991 is crackled and yellowed, showing its advanced age, while the Jordan XII from 1997 — a game in which Jordan scored 39 points — has the star’s signature in big, bold letters along its white panel.
Sports columnist Bryan Bloodworth asked Hallam about his growing collection in 1997, and he responded: “I don’t play; I don’t score; I don’t rebound, so the [championship] rings don’t mean quite as much to me as they do the players.”
“I wanted something that was an actual part of the game,” Hallam said, WSJ reported, “so I asked Michael for one of his shoes.”
The collection’s price has yet to be disclosed by Sotheby’s. However, analysts believe it could be worth millions, given their connection to Jordan and the championship victories of the Bulls.
“Because of the historical and cultural impact that they represent, as a group, they are among the most important basketball shoes a collector could own,” said memorabilia appraiser expert Leila Dunbar, according to WSJ.
“They have everything,” she added, “that collectors want: championship history, Hall of Famer association — and style, style, style.”
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